Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Golden Yoandrea’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Golden Yoandrea’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; golden yellow-colored ray florets; natural season flowering in mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere; and good garden performance.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemum×morifoliumcultivar Golden Yoandrea.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Golden Yoandrea’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occcurring whole plant mutation ofthe Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yoandrea, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 12,983. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plantsof the cultivar Yoandrea in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. inNovember, 2000. The selection of this plant was based on its desirableinflorescence form, attractive floret coloration and good gardenperformance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingsin a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since January, 2001, has shownthat the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Golden Yoandrea has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Golden Yoandrea’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Golden Yoandrea’ as a newand distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped        ray florets.    -   5. Golden yellow-colored ray florets.    -   6. Natural season flowering in mid-October in the Northern        Hemisphere.    -   7. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla. under natural seasonconditions, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of theparent, the cultivar Yoandrea, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about two days        earlier than plants of the cultivar Yoandrea.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Yoandrea        differed in ray floret coloration as ray florets of plants of        the cultivar Yoandrea were orange in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Golden Spotlight, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 11,912. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla. undernatural season conditions, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed fromplants of the cultivar Golden Spotlight in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more outwardly spreading        and denser than plants of the cultivar Golden Spotlight.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Golden Spotlight.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Golden        Spotlight differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the        cultivar Golden Spotlight tended to “pink” with development.    -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about two weeks        later than plants of the cultivar Golden Spotlight.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Cleagar gfl, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.10,463. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla. undernatural season conditions, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed fromplants of the cultivar Cleagar gfl in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were taller and more        outwardly spreading than plants of the cultivar Cleagar gfl.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one week later        than plants of the cultivar Cleagar gfl.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Cleagar gfl        differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar        Cleagar gfl had less intense yellow-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Golden Yoandrea’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of the cultivar ‘Golden Yoandrea’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington,Ontario, Canada during the late summer and fall in an outdoor nurseryand under conditions and practices which approximate those generallyused in commercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. One cutting wasplanted in a 15.25-cm container in mid-July. During the production ofthe plants, plants were exposed to natural season photoperiodicconditions with day temperatures averaging 26° C. and night averaging18° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Golden    Yoandrea.-   Commercial classification: Decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the    Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yoandrea, disclosed in U.S. Plant    Pat. No. 12,983.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, year-round.—About four days at 21°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, year-round.—About ten to            twelve days at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous            decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. Inverted triangle with            rounded crown. Stems initially upright, then outwardly            spreading. Freely branching with lateral branches            potentially developing at every node. Moderately vigorous to            vigorous.        -   Plant height.—About 18.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 28 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 21 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubsecent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:            About 3.4 cm. Width: About 2.75 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base:            Mostly truncate. Margin: Palmately and deeply lobed; sinuses            mostly divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: More            green than 147A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to            147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B.            Venation, upper surface: Close to 147A. Venation, lower            surface: Close to 146A. Petiole: Length: About 7 mm.            Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 147A to 146A. Color, lower            surface: Close to 146A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with            elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on            terminals above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and            ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum.            Inflorescences face mostly upright or outwardly.            Inflorescences hemispherical in shape. Freely flowering            habit; about 16 inflorescences and develop per lateral            branch. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences not            fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower in mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere.        -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About            7 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower            surface of phyllaries): Close to 146A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.8 cm. Depth (height):            About 2.25 cm. Disc diameter: Disc florets not observed.            Receptacle diameter: About 5 mm. Receptacle height: About 5            mm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2.4 cm.            Corolla tube length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 7 mm. Apex:            Acute to emarginate. Margin: Fused. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny. Surface: Concave. Orientation: Initially            upright, then perpendicular to the peduncle. Number of ray            florets per inflorescence: About 177 in numerous whorls.            Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 12A            overlain with close to 187A. Fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 12A to 9A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 9B            to 9C.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 24. Length:            About 6 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Deltoid, elongated.            Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper surface: Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface:            Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower            surface: Close to 146A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 5.2 cm. Fourth            penduncle: About 8.75 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 10.2 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45°            from vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:            Present on ray florets.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been    observed to be have good garden performance and to be tolerant to    rain, wind and temperatures ranging from 0 to greater than 38° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘GoldenYoandrea’, as illustrated and described.